Garment dryer apparatus



May 10, 1966 A. F, GRAF VON SODEN ETAL 3,250,446

GARMENT DRYER APPARATUS Filed oct. 25, 196s United States Patent O 3,250,446 GARMENT DRYER APPARATUS Adolph F. Graf von Soden, 3909 Riviera Drive, Pacific Beach, San Diego, Calif., and Louise Teter, 177 Orlando, El Cajon, Calif.

Filed Oct. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 318,980 1 Claim. (Cl. 223-63) This invention relates to garment stretchers and dryers and more particularly to a self-adjustable and extendable apparatus of the dismonntable type that may be easily housed in a small package.

Manifestly, an object of the invention is to provide a combined stretcher and dryer apparatus having a set of interchangeable edge plate member means, wherein, each being provided with a longitudinally defined edge, said plate member means having a uniform cross-section forming sections that may be longitudinally extended to any desired length when connecting the ends thereof, and

. also, having suitable resilient means associated therewith for spreading the extendably assembled ends for holding same taut and in position when drying and for creasing the garment, said garment being of the particular capri type that is worn by women.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to providev a combined stretcher and dryer apparatus having a set of longitudinally extendable and detachable edge plate member means, each member means having a longitudinally deiined edge, each end of 'which being provided with a suitable interlocking means adapted for holding said edge plate member means in an extended and rigid position.

Another object of the invention is to provide each of said edge plate member means with a longitudinal ridge which is lof suitable shape and construction and adapted for securing an even crease in a garment when stretching and drying same.

A further object of the invention is to provide each of said edge plate member means with a detachable and removable blade edge for securing a sharp crease when in use, and also, having a removable and interchange-able resilient spring means associated therewith for spreading the ends of said edge plate member means, said spring means having a loop adapted for hanging said stretcher together with the garment when drying same. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide said stretching and drying garment apparatus with interchangeable parts, so that same may be placed and positioned endwardly when in operation, to be convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical in operation and manufacture, relatively simple and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawings, in which the similar reference characters denote the same parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. l shows a front plan View of the stretcher and dryer apparatus, that is shown in sections assembled endwardly, and showing the ends of the separate edge plate member means secured together by locking plates, and also showing the spreading spring means at the extended ends of said stretcher and in position.

FIG. 2 shows a vertical side elevational view of one of the edge plate member means provided with locking members in modified form, adapted for securing an endward attachment and combination. v

FIG. 3 shows a fragmentary side view of the edge plate member that is shown slightly enlarged, taken from FIG. 2, and showing the position of lock pins at the end thereof.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional end view of the edge plate member, shown without the locking plate and taken on lines 4 4 of the FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a fragmentary vertical and a sectional view of the edge plate member, showing a sliding locking plate in position and taken in the direction of the arrow A-A in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows another vertically sectional and fragdryer apparatus when v mentary view edge plate member shown with a hinged locking plate in place, showing same in a modified form, and also taken in the direction of arrows A-A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 shows a fragmentary and a sectionally vertical view of the edge plate member, showing the ends thereof provided with a detachable locking plate when in positionshowing same in a modified form, and also taken in thev direction of the arrows A--A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 shows another vertically and fragmentary sec-l tional view of the edge plate member showing the ends thereof provided with a removable and detachable locking plate, showing same in a modified formk and also taken in the direction of the arrows A--A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 shows a side elevational view of the springan endwardly combined position that are attachable at' the ends for forming same into suitable lengths and generally designated by numerals 2 and 4.

Said longitudinally combined edge plate member means 2 and 4 being the right and left section members respectively, each of which consists of a plurality of longitudinally identical plate sections 2B, 2b, 2-c and the 4a, 4b and 4 plate sections respectively, which may be extended endwardly and connected together into any desired length, as in practice may be found to be most desirable and practicable, as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Each longitudinal plate section of said edge plate member means 2 and 4 is provided with a longitudinal slot 6, see FIGS. 4 and 10, for securing a narrow slot shaped cross-section having an open end 8 which is formed by a pair of equilateral side plates 10 and 12, and which are conjoined in an arcuate section 14.

Said conjoined arcuate section 14 is formed into a suitable conguration for securing a longitudinally extending leading or crease edge 18; said crease edge may be substantially an integral part of said arcuate section 14 that extends outwardly at a suitable .width there-from, as shovtm- Each Separate plate section of said combined edge plate member means 2 and 4 is provided with an end section 22 and 24, respectively, each end thereof being adapted for an endward abutting of the respective end of the adjoining plate section when same are arranged in a sectionally and longitudinally extended position, as shown in FIG. l, and when said apparatus, thus endlwardly assembled, is used for the garment stretching and drying operation, and also for providing a longitudinal crease in a drying garment.

Each end section 22 and 24 is provided with a pair of pins of which, the end pins 26 and the inner pins 28 are used for forming a supporting bridge between said pair of side plates and 12 respectively, of which said pins 26 are positioned in close proximity to the ends of said respective end sections, while said pins 28 are disposed away from said pins 26 and are equally spaced in an inwardly extended position, and which are used for supportingthe interchangeable locking plates 30 in a hinged position, thus holding and locking said separate endsl of -said plate sections in a longitudinally extended position, as shown.

The extreme free lends 229' and 24a of the respective plate sections 2a, 4a and 2 and 4c, shown in FIG. l, are usedfor engaging and for supporting in place a suitable spreading spring member means 32 disposed one at each end for causing the garment, such as trousers and pants for men, or the capri type pants for Women, to be stretched and dried.

' When said end sections 22 and 24 are assembled and held endwardly together in locked position by means ofl said locking plates 30, each hinging end 34 of said locking plate is arranged for engaging the inner pin 28, see FIG. 5, the extended body section of said plate having a recess 36 disposed therein for securing a clearance for the end pin 26, while the extended end S18-of said locking plate is provided with a slot 40 adapted for engaging the end pin 26 of the adjoining and abutting end of said end section 22, said locking plate also having a longitudinal end wedge extension 42 for securing a wedge locking effect beur/een said end pin 26 and the slot bottom surface section 6a of said longitudinalV slot 6 of the abutting end section 22, thus lookin-g the respective plate ends together as shown.

As shown in FIG. 1 said locking plates 30 are provided only with two slotted holes 44 which are yadapted for re-V ceiving the respective end pins 26 at the extending ends of said end sections 22 and 24. The modified locking plates 30a shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 are adapted lfor hingedly engaging the inner pins 28 of the end sections 24a and 24, and each locking plate is also provided with a suitable Wedge extension 42 for allowing same to be positioned within said slot 6 and wedged Vforwardly against the end pin 26 disposed inthe abutting end of the plate end 22, as shown in FIG. 5, and thereby locking the respective end sections together, and for holding said edge plate member means 2 and 4 in a longitudinally rigid position when in use.

Said hinging end 34 of said lock-ing plate 30'3L is also provided with a suitable cross entry slot 46 whichis adapted for a convenient assembly and also for allowing said locking plate 30al to be swung outwardly and back into said slot 6 when said locking plate is in inoperative or not in used position.

In the FIG. 5, thelocking plate 30 shown in modified I form, isprovided, at one end, with a sliding hinged end 34 having an assembling slot 46 disposed at a pivoting end section 48 that is adapted for engaging only said end pins 26 of the abutting end sections 24 and 22, and which are provided in the endwardly adjoining plate sections.

2, 2b and 2c including 4,, 4b and 4c plate sections as shown in FIG.- 1, while the oppositely extended end of said locking plate 30 is provided with an en-d slot 40 and having a wedge extension 42 adapted for engaging the adjoining end pin 26 of the abutting end section 22 and .also for wedging said wedge extension 42 against the 4 slot surface section 6B, thereby locking the plate end sections 22 and 24 together and in readiness for use.

A locking plate 30", as shown in modified form in FIG. 7, is provided with an end slot V50 and has a Wedge extension 4 disposed at one end and a Wedge extension 52 positioned at the opposite end thereof, said wedge extensions 42" and S2 being adapted for engaging each of slot surface sections 6a of said slot 6 including the respective end pins 26 disposed at the ends of the end sec` tions 22 and 24 of the respective plate sections.

The modification of said looking plate 30"' shown in FIG. 8 com-prises a pair of wedging ends 54 and 56 adapted for wedging same between said lrespective pins 26 disposed at the ends of said end sections 22 and 24 of the abutting plate end sections including the respective slot surfaces 6ab of said slots 6, thereby locking said ends togethe-r and Ialso holding said edge plate member means in a longitudinally rigid and extended position when in use.

Said spreading spring member 32, as shown in its normally extended position in FIG. 9, is provided with a pair of sprin-g arms 58 each of which is provided at its respective end with an end loop 60, said spring bein-g adapted for spreading the extended ends of said edge plate member means 2 and 4 as shown in FIG. l, by allowing said looped ends 60 including said spring arms S8 to slide into said slot 6 and between said slot surface section 6a vand the pins 26 disposed at the end plate sections 22 and Also, said spring member 32 is provided with a center loop 62 for securing an additional resiliency therein when in u-se and also for providing means for handling same Vwhen said apparatus is used for stretching and drying of the garment and for securing a crease in said garment by means of said edge member 18 or the blade member 20, as hereinbefore described.

While this invention is described with great particularity it will be clearl that the same may be modified throughout a Wide range.

Accordingly, it is not proposed that this invention be limited to the exact details of con-struction herein shown on the drawings and described in the speciication, and therefore, reservations of the rights in practice are made herein to the end'that necessary changes and modifications `maybe had therein, which may` come within the scope of the appended claim. J

We claim as our invention:

In a garment drying, stretching and creasing apparatus of the class described comprising, a plurality of lingitudinally extending edge plate members, an end plate section in each edge plate member and' at each end thereof, longitudinal slot having a slot bottom surface section extending longitudinally and at one edge of the 'entire length of said edge plate member for forming an open end and also securing a pair of side plates therein, a set of pins at each end of each end plate section and passing transversely through said open end and said pair of side plates, said pins bein-g in close proximity to said slot bottom surface section of said longitudinal slot securing a bridge therefor; said set of pins consisting of the endwardly positioned end pins disposed at each end of said end plate section and also the inner pins arranged in an equally spaced position from said end pins and being further from the ends of said end plate section; the combination of, a locking plate, a hinging end in said locking plate for pivotally mounting same upon one of said pins and at one end of said end plate section and disposed within said longitudinal slot for enclosing said locking plate therein, a Wedge extension at the extended end of said locking plate for engaging said longitudinal slot of the abutted end in the adjoining end plate section and for wedgingly engaging the slot bottom surface including the respective end pin in said abutting end plate section, and thereby locking a pair of endwardly abutting end plate sections together when disposed adjacently to each other and for holding said plurality of longitudinally ex- 5 .6 tending edge plate members in a rigid position, and spring 1,003,039 9/ 1911 Dixon 223-63 member engaging the free ends of the longitudinally 2,115,194 4/ 1938 Burton 287--103 assembled edge plate members for spreading said free ends 3,096,007 7 1963 Kronsbein 223-75 and thereby stretching and creasing a garment when FOREIGN PATENTS 30,226 1909 Great Britain. References Cited by the Examiner IN E UNITED STATES PATENTS JORDAN FRANKL Przmary xammer.

Watkins M. J. G. V. Assistant Exalnl'flefs. 539,796 5/1895 C1058 287-103 10 drying same. 

